What is the role of differentiation in teaching and learning? 

Research: 

    This week, we were assigned to watch 2 EdPuzzles and read/view 2 different articles. The EdPuzzles shared the 5 key aspects of differentiated instruction (Engaging learning environment, High-quality curriculum, Ongoing assessment, Response to students' instructional needs, and Effective classroom management). The other video we watched showed us a hands-on differentiation lesson with a 4th-grade teacher. I specifically liked this video because it also was very integrated with the different core subjects. I like how the teacher spoke through the process of why she grouped the students the way she did and how it all was different for each student. I especially liked how she explained that were still grading these students on criteria regardless of their position on the higher-order thinking ladder. 

    The next article we were assigned was "What is differentiated instruction". This article was helpful because it walked through the differentiated instruction model showing the parts and pieces that make an effective educational practice. It also walked through the different aspects of the model that make it a whole process. We as teachers need to be working at each student's complexity meaning we need to ensure we are challenging them at their own levels. The final source we were assigned for this week's module was the differentiation slide show. This slideshow was interesting to look through. I loved all of the quotes it showcased because it felt like it was more connecting and resourceful rather than just words. My takeaway from this slideshow was we as teachers need to continue to push our students to grow but we also have to ensure we are placing them with the correct assignments, environment, and engagement. 

Field: 

    I would say at the middle school I see how students are being challenged with their course work but I think its harder to spot in the higher grade levels (in my opinion). I would say DMS does meet the key aspects of the differentiation module. 

1. Engaging learning environment: Every middle school whether its Worthington or Columbus fosters an engaging learning environment. Teachers are always asking students questions, engaging in the hallway, connecting with them, and being hands-on. I feel as if this fosters more than an engaging learning environment by giving the students choice and a voice. 

2. High-quality curriculum: The CCS curriculum is challenging, engaging, and resourceful for both students and teachers. It gives students connections to prior grades, continuous lessons in the new content, and new information that challenges their skills. For teachers, it offers resources and assessments they can give their students in order to produce higher-order thinking. 

3. On-going assessment: I believe that every classroom that we are in has an ongoing assessment. We continue to use their prior knowledge in all of their classes and test them on the same concepts but hidden in new content. 

4. Response to student's instructional needs: 

5. Effective classroom management: More or so in other classes, I see/hear teachers correcting and redirecting their students based on their classroom rules. In my classroom specifically, the students have gotten much better at understanding their classroom rules. They have been processing and respecting the classroom that Mrs. J put together and is projecting to them.

DMS does have two separate teams and the students I am with currently get more challenging assessments because they are considered gifted students.  

Personal Connection: 

    I feel as if I didn't notice much of a difference in what I was being taught and what others were being taught except with the separate teams. I was never on the "advanced" team so I never felt I was challenged as much as I could have been. I do believe that my school district offered an engaging environment, responded to students' needs, and effective classroom management. Big Walnut offered many ways for students to become involved with the school (in and out of the classroom). I feel like that made my learning process much much easier. 

Future classroom: 

    The obvious and typical answer I feel that many future educators would give is "I want to foster an engaging, blah blah blah blah, in my classroom". But, I want to be an untypical kind of middle school teacher. I could sit here and tell you all the good things that COULD happen in my classroom but I feel with differentiation, it takes time to actually be good at these kinds of assessments and activities. yes, I do want to ensure I can create an engaging environment where my students are being heard with their instructional needs, I just feel that it takes time to master this concept. I may never "master" this concept because students are constantly changing every year with where they are, what instructions or support they need, etc. What I can do to ensure I have a classroom that offers differentiation is ensure that I am placing students in different groups (maybe mixed to challenge them) that offer different high-order thinking skills. Separating them with a different task that offers each group a different challenge forces them to work together and figure out the best way to get the solution. I feel like altering the assessments or activities each year (if possible) to fit the new students would help me as a teacher ensure I am offering a supportive classroom that again, CHALLENGES them because I feel as if challenging this learning helps them grow (even if that's with support)!